71: OSWALD CHAMBERS: Mountains and valleys

Oswald Chambers (1874-1917) was a Scottish minister and teacher, most well-known for his devotional book My Utmost for His Highest.

This comic is a continuation from my Calvin Coolidge: Never Give Up comic. That was pretty popular and I had so much fun drawing the dragon and little hero that I wanted to revisit them again. And yeah yeah, I know the final dragon looks more like a T-Rex – this magical realm has dragons AND dinosaurs. I thought this was such a great message. I’m always adapting quotes that are about living a big, exciting and adventurous life and while that is all well and good, the simple fact is that life is also filled with lots of little, boring and mundane things that we deal with everyday. This stuff probably takes more dedication and perseverance to get through than the fun parts.

From Spanish:
I really appreciate your site, me to helped in my life in many ways, more than you can imagine. You do something more important than you think. Many congratulations on your success. “The sky is the limit,” (English)

I really appreciate your site, it has helped me in life in much more ways than you can imagine. You do something more important than you think. Many congratulations on your success. “The sky is the limit, let’s try to reach it”. Maybe it’s not usual that people write to you in some other language more than english. But I wanted to speak in my main language, so you see how far your work has gone, and where it is appreciated.

From Tagalog:
I noticed Daniel preferred to write in Spanish. I thought also write with my own language to inform you that you have read in many corners of the world. Continue the arousal of emotions and providing inspiration.

Nice artwork Gav , to be really frank though. I think the quote is somewhat misleading. Limiting someone to an ordinary life is not a good ideology to follow in my opinion. I grew up hearing phrases such as ‘Aim for the stars’, so this one kind of felt odd. But hey, you are better in deciding things and you maybe right in using this quote.

Krishna, I would interpret the quote and even Gavin’s interpretation that the leading up to great things are laid by ordinary tasks. In the comic, the shovelling of the stables, the sharpening of the sword, the practices, they all lead up, and are part, of being a great dragon slayer.

Similarly in our own lives, and I can speak from experience here, the lead up to getting the big job, or running a successful business, is made up of ordinary tasks like doing your accounts, studying for exams, or taking out the trash. At those times you have to muster real will power to get it done.

Sachin’s interpretation is very apt. I also think it is also very poetic to interpret the “valleys” as the times when things are not exactly going our way. How we persevere through them and what we do to overcome those circumstances, in the end, defines us, and let us surmount those “mountains”.

btw, I’m just going to call this kid “Calvin” 😉 Thanks for bringing him back, and for this very inspiring art.

I cannot get over how inspired I am everytime I come here. It’s all the satisfaction of watching a masterwork of film in single page. Hope a tandem print is made for this series. I would be on that like ketchup on a grill cheese sandwich.

Yet another great addition to your artwork. Ever since a friend of mine recommended this website, I’ve been a huge fan. I especially like the Neil deGrasse ones but this one is so true in many different ways. Since we’re born, people tell us how special we are, how talented, that we have to dream big and that the sky’s the limit (like the Spanish speaking gent already said) but in fact, the biggest joy of all comes from day to day activities.

Keep up the good work! Greetings from Belgium 😉

“The hardest part isn’t finding what we need to be. It’s being content with who we are.”

My friend and I, who both love Zenpencils, had a debate on how one should live life. While I used all your other comics about making your own legacy, or changing the world, or leaving a mark, she told me about this one, so I had to check it out. This does contradict your other drawings. I still love it though. And it does not change my stand. We should still aim for the mountains and the valleys.

i couldn’t have stumbled upon this at a better time. i find it incredibly difficult to function when feeling apathetic and uninspired, and it happens that that is the headspace i’ve been in since a week or so ago; this is the perfect reminder ^^ also, love the adaptation, it’s so adorable <3 much love from sydney!

(also, couldn't find this in the shop, is there any possibility of it ever being there?)

I really appreciate that you’ve used this quote by Oswald Chambers, as it is one of my favourite devotionals. Just curious, did you read My Utmost For His Highest or have you merely used a suggested quote from someone else? Either way, I’m glad you did.

To many of us now, computers, silicon chips, data processing, cybernetics, and all the other innovations of the dawning high technology age are as mystifying as the workings of the combustion engine must have been when that first Model T rattled down Main Street, U.S.A. But as surely as America’s pioneer spirit made us the industrial giant of the 20th century, the same pioneer spirit today is opening up on another vast front of opportunity, the frontier of high technology. TALKS